América's Israel Martínez will be one key to slowing down Atlante on Tuesday (Photo: MEXSPORT/OMAR MARTINEZ)
article courtesy San Diego Sports Examiner.
Frisco, Texas hosts tonight’s Interliga doubleheader, commencing the second match day of Interliga 2010.
The opening match features the two teams that lost their Saturday openers. Estudiantes Tecos fel 2-1 to an Atlante team that played the second half down a man. Santos Laguna gave a disappointing performance in losing to Club América, 3-1.
For Santos – a team who was expected to battle Atlante for the second spot advancing out of this group – tonight’s match is must-win. Without knowing who will win in the nightcap, Santos can not assume a draw will keep them alive. If they dropped points to Estudiantes while Atlante upset América, Santos would have to rely on an Estudiantes result against América this weekend to advance out of Group A.
In losing to the ten-man Atlante, Estudiantes showed why they were considered the group’s weakest side coming into the tournament. The good news for Tecos: Santos gave the most disorganized performance this weekend, and while Estudiantes showed their frailties at the back in being constantly exploited by Atlante’s counter, they where more ready for this competition than the Guerreros.
That Atlante counter will not find such easy pickings against an América team that had the most impressive opening weekend. While Santos did little to dissuade América from doing as they pleased, América showed the greatest cohesion in attack, a trait that had been sapped from most teams thanks to the lay-off from the Apertura.
Daniel Montenegro was the key to América’s cohesion. The attacker had a goal and an assist on Saturday, looking like the one player who did not have a December break.
Atlante is the one team that did not take the winter off, having traveled to Abu Dhabi to compete in the Club World Cup. The lack of rust may have helped them withstand having José Manuel Guerrero dismissed against Estudiantes.
The winner of tonight’s second match will guarantee a spot in the January 13th finals. A draw will leave both teams in limbo (particularly if the opening match is not also drawn), while the loser will need a result this weekend to advance. For Atlante, that means a match with Santos, by which time the Guerreros will have likely shaken off the rust.
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